The Lay & Wheeler Bloghttps://laywheeler.wordpress.com
The latest news and articles from Lay & Wheeler, international wine merchants since 1854
Wed, 19 Dec 2018 09:25:43 +0000 en
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1 http://wordpress.com/https://secure.gravatar.com/blavatar/93790e8c20296169b987d5c377248a54?s=96&d=https%3A%2F%2Fs0.wp.com%2Fi%2Fbuttonw-com.pngThe Lay & Wheeler Bloghttps://laywheeler.wordpress.com
The Krug Institute of Happinesshttps://laywheeler.wordpress.com/2012/12/21/the-krug-institute-of-happiness/
https://laywheeler.wordpress.com/2012/12/21/the-krug-institute-of-happiness/#respondFri, 21 Dec 2012 18:39:48 +0000http://blog.laywheeler.com/?p=4027Even if, like me, you have been wise/lucky enough to make your hobby your job and therefore spend most of your time talking about something you feel passionate about for a living, there is no doubt that some days are simply better than others.

A couple of weeks ago, we had a perfect example of one such day – our Director Dave, our Queen of Reserves Niki and I were very kindly invited to travel down to Highgate, London and join another 13 lucky so-and-sos from the trade in experiencing the new concept cooked up by the LVMH marketing bods’ fertile minds: The Krug Institute of Happiness. (I know, I know, you probably already hate us. However, do read on, it gets better!) .

Inspired by the discovery of a document dating from the very early days of the Champagne House and showing Joseph Krug’s ideal that his wines should provide pleasure and joy to those who drink them, the Institute of Happiness is the attempt to provide guests with a complete experience where every sensorial aspect contributes to creating a higher level of contentment. A few days before the K-day, we were sent questionnaires asking what our favourite film, music or sweets were – needless to say this was enough to sharpen our curiosity and we couldn’t wait to get there.

Michelin-starred Viajante’s chef Nuño Mendes, one of the pioneers of the pop-up restaurant concept, was the gifted artist preparing the food for this fantastic lunch, and his concoctions were indeed happiness-inducing and a great pleasure to eat .

The tone was set as soon as we arrived. On a cold but gloriously sunny winter day, we arrived at one of the most impressive private homes in London, a Grand-Designs-like concrete and glass affair bathed in light and overlooking Highgate cemetery with Waterlow park on one side and Hampstead Heath not far off in the other direction. Greeted and ushered upstairs to the kitchen, we found ourselves a glass of champagne in hand standing on the balcony in the sun and watching calm and affable Nuño whilst he prepared some of the most thought-inspiring and delicious canapés we ever tasted– ice cream on a crispy chicken skin (much better than it sounds with an amazing depth and length of flavour) or Black olive cake with yeast and crushed potatoes were two of the best. Krug Grande Cuvée was free-flowing from magnums and this played no small part in the rapidly rising levels of happiness in us.

An hour and one more set of stairs later and we were in the dining room, sitting at long, convivial tables with a hugely talented pianist playing inspired versions of all our favourite songs in the background while we started on the starter of Cured Lobster, Spring Onion and Consommé with Spruce bark accompanied by Krug 1998. This is the second time I have had Krug 1998 in the last few weeks (sickening, isn’t it?) and I must say I am hugely impressed with how well it is drinking at the moment. Full bodied, rich, creamy with hints of honey, marzipan and truffe to name but a few flavours, it is stunning. The lobster was one of the most delicate yet flavoursome seafood I ever tasted and the Spruce bark infused snowflakes were fabulously fresh, somewhat nutty and utterly different.

The fish course of Halibut with seaweed sofrito and seafood rice broth matched by Krug 2000 was a study in Umami taste and complementary textures. Krug 2000 is a voluminous, round champagne with a dominant citrus flavour – I expect this is only at the start of its drinking life and that it would benefit from a couple more years in bottle, but the match was just great.

Moving on to the meat course and the Aged pigeon buried under fallen autumn leaves with Krug Rosé. In my personal and professional life, I have long been an advocate of Rosé champagnes with meatier birds, and ever the typical Frenchman, I was glad to be proven right here. The gamey flavour of the pigeon matched the savoury, sparkling Grand-Cru Red Burgundy style of the Krug Rosé, and the various thins or “fallen Autumn Leaves” brought in a great texture to the dish.

As my colleague Niki commented on the attention to detail – one of the waiters had just noticed she had the sun in her eyes and promptly planted himself on the balcony with an umbrella to shelter her so she could be more comfortable, our Pianist asked for a few minutes of attention as he played a medley of songs he had arranged so the whole would be greater than the sum of its part, much in the style of Krug’s master blender concocting his Grande Cuvée. The raw energy and musicality of young Stephen Ridley were outstanding and we were all blown away by the performance.

Finally, the dessert arrived and with it we were back on Krug’s flagship wine, the Grande Cuvée. Milk. “A return to the beginning, happy memories of home! Beautifully simple and fresh yet once again showing Nuño’s amazing touch when it comes to delicate flavours and textures, this was incredibly satisfying. The chocolate truffles that accompanied the coffee weren’t bad either! But sadly it was time to get back to real life and leave the world of Krug for our perhaps more mundane existences.

From this absolutely fabulous afternoon I take away a few things: first of all, the elegance of Nuño’s cooking. Flavours are never intrusive and don’t “explode” but instead they just perdure and stay with you for an impressive amount of time. This delicacy and length are probably consequences of much of the main ingredients being cured rather than cooked. All the dishes were beautiful and the constant attention to textures made them vastly satisfying and rewarding. Second of all, the absolutely amazing ability of all Krug’s wines to marry food, and how complex and simply delicious they are. Krug 1998 is drinking absolutely perfectly right now, but my feeling that I shan’t refuse a glass of Krug in this lifetime was greatly reinforced.I guess if one HAD to find something to moan about, a flaw to the afternoon, it could only be the fact that we are now all spoilt and would be only too happy to drink nothing but Krug for the rest of our days. That, alas is unlikely to happen any time soon, but our hosts can hardly be blamed for this!

Niki Clarke, Customer Reserves manager: “the whole day was very surreal and left me a bit speechless. The Rosé was a knockout and something to savour. The Institute of happiness did not disappoint in any way!”

Dave Smith, Lay & Wheeler Director:“For me the venue, lobster and Krug 98 were the stars. I feel a little guilty not to include the amazingly talented pianist but somebody’s got to lose!”

Fourteen guests assembled in the private dining Postillion Room at the Roux at the Landau restaurant. A glass of 1996 Dom Pérignon Œnothèque established a thrillingly high standard for the evening whilst a frisson of excitement rippled around the room as Michel Roux Jnr. introduced himself and welcomed each of the guests.

Monsieur Hervé Gouin, Sales Director of Château Mouton-Rothschild, took his turn to welcome all and expressed how, even for him, the assembled range of wines was a rare and privileged treat. He provided informative insight and humorous asides into varied matters through the course of the evening: the wines, the unique artwork for each vintage, the history of the Château and the decision of Château Latour to withdraw from the en primeur system, amongst others.

The 2003 Petit-Mouton is at once rich, textured and opulent whilst being compact, focused and delineated. A fine example of 2003 which reinforced how the northern Médoc was notably successful in this hot vintage.

The 1998 Clerc Milon demonstrated admirably the inherent quality of the vineyards of this fine estate. It has a reined-in style whilst remaining balanced and perfectly in-tune – a lovely, flowing, pure style of intense fruit, a fine dusting of structural tannin and an underlying freshness. Everything is ‘just so’, perfectly pitched and drinking very well indeed.

The 2000 is remarkably accessible and expansive in aroma and texture. Still primary in fruit character with a concentrated core of fruit it gives the impression of a wine that has shed its exuberance of youth but has yet to progress onward to developing secondary complexity and flavours.

The 1995 initially required coaxing from the glass and with time revealed a scented bouquet of essence-like red fruits and violets. This is not an exuberantly styled Mouton; it reveals its complexity and class with subtlety and detail. It possesses an overall harmony and balance and is a 1995 that is on the cusp of entering its prime.

The 1989 leapt forth from the glass with notes of dark plum, hedgerow fruit, smoke, liquorice and cigar box amongst many scents. The structure is characteristic of numerous 1989s – large scale, ripe textured fruit with a frame of (by modern-day standards) coarse tannins (but wholly in-keeping with the style of the wine). Brash and confident in style, and hugely enjoyable precisely for that style!

The 1986 came with an enhanced expectation given R. Parker’s 100 point score. Reticent to begin with, it unfurled with time in the glass. Similarly, the palate revealed its nuance and sheer depth of flavour with time and swirling (despite having been decanted for three hours before pouring). It is seamlessly balanced, richly textured with a swathe of concentrated fruit that smothers the density of tannin. This is a wine which invites attention in order to fully appreciate its beautiful detail.

Robert Parker has just released his in bottle 2010 Southern Rhone scores. He has pronounced what we already knew, that it really is a special vintage, producing wines of great concentration, but what makes them really special is the freshness, energy and precision they possess.

“2010 is a great vintage that is extremely close in quality to 2007. The wines are not as exuberant, flamboyant or unctuously textured as the top 2007s, but they have the advantage of being slightly more delineated/focused with greater freshness. They are just as high in alcohol as the 2007s, but the fermentations of the 2010s were easier, and the wines come across as having slightly higher acids…Moreover, the greatness of the 2010 vintage has been widely recognized throughout the world, so the wines are being gobbled up at almost unprecedented rapidity.”Robert Parker Wine Advocate # 203

“The 2010 Chateauneuf du Pape Tradition offers abundant aromas of Christmas fruitcake, cassis, kirsch, spice box, smoked game and charcuterie. The wine hits the palate with a thunderous display of sweet glycerin, rich, ripe fruit, some structure and a moderately tannic, long finish. It will be even better with 2-3 years of cellaring, and should last for 12-15+ years.”

“Interestingly enough, even though many of the 2010 Perrin et Fils selections from the southern Rhone were scheduled to be bottled right after my visit, the 2010 Beaucastel had already been put in bottle. This is a gorgeous wine, a classic blend of 30% Grenache, 30% Mourvedre, 10% Syrah, 10% Counoise and the balance the other permitted varietals in the appellation. Deep purple, with loads of bouquet garni, beef blood, blackberry, kirsch, smoke and truffle, this wine is full-bodied, rich and showing even better than it did last year. I still think it needs 3-5 years of cellaring, and it should last for 25-30 years, as most of the top vintages of Beaucastel do”

“The 2010 Chateauneuf du Pape is made from 90% Grenache and 10% Syrah and Mourvedre, all from the famed lieu-dit Les Pialons, which is located only a few miles from Vieux Telegraphe’s La Crau, although it is normally harvested at least 15 days later than La Crau (an extraordinary illustration of the difference in micro-climates in a compact area such as Chateauneuf du Pape). The deep, rich, dark ruby/purple-tinged 2010 does not compare to the magnificent 2007, but it is a top-tier wine that was aged 18 months in concrete tanks. Abundant raspberry, kirsch, lavender and spice box characteristics are present in this beauty. Enjoy it over the next 15 or more years.“

“The 2010 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee de Mon Aieul (cropped at 12-16 hectoliters per hectare) comes from the estate’s finest vineyards in the southern part of the appellation (Les Grandes Serres), the eastern sector (the famed La Crau) and the northern sector (Guigasse). The wine is aged primarily in stainless steel tanks with a small percent (less than 20%) kept in 600-liter demi-muids. Despite the 16.5% natural alcohol, there is not a trace of heat in this wine. It is stunningly concentrated with great intensity as well as classic blueberry, peppery, incense, camphor, fig and licorice characteristics. Rich and full-bodied with slightly more freshness than their profound 2007, the 2010 Mon Aieul should age effortlessly for two decades.”

“The classic-styled 2010 Chateauneuf du Pape exhibits plenty of kirsch, Christmas fruitcake, pepper, spice box, smoked herbs and loads of raspberry and black cherry fruit. It is a full-bodied, slightly more reserved and less exuberant effort than the 2007 was at a similar age. It will benefit from 2-3 years of bottle age, and last for 10-15 years.”

A sensational effort, the 2010 Chateauneuf du Pape exhibits jammy black raspberry and black currant fruit intermixed with licorice, camphor, incense and hits of truffles as well as pepper. With velvety tannins, abundant glycerin, a nicely delineated mouthfeel, a sumptuous texture and a long finish, this 2010 should drink well for 12-15+ years.

The 2010 Chateauneuf du Pape Tradition (made from the same blend as the 2011) is incredibly rich, concentrated and complex. The best value in their portfolio, it offers a dark plum/purple color along with copious notes of garrigue, pepper, licorice, black raspberries and kirsch. A super, full-bodied Chateauneuf with terrific purity and palate presence, it can be enjoyed over the next 15+ years

Al Luffingham

]]>https://laywheeler.wordpress.com/2012/11/06/robert-parker-releases-2010-rhone-scores-in-bottle/feed/0katwigginsRobert-Parker-Rhone-2010-488Parker 91 Point WineParker 95 Point WineParker 92 Point WineParker 97 Point WineParker 93 Point WineParker 92 Point WineParker 94 Point WineBurgundy 2011 Day Five: Pulignys in Pommard, masterclass in Volnay and mature bottleshttps://laywheeler.wordpress.com/2012/11/02/burgundy-2011-day-five-pulignys-in-pommard-masterclass-in-volnay-and-our-mature-bottles/
https://laywheeler.wordpress.com/2012/11/02/burgundy-2011-day-five-pulignys-in-pommard-masterclass-in-volnay-and-our-mature-bottles/#respondFri, 02 Nov 2012 18:01:41 +0000http://blog.laywheeler.com/?p=3993Our last day in Burgundy was much more about getting home to our respective families before the weekend than it was about wine tasting, but we did manage to squeeze in a couple of tastings in the morning, and very nice they were too.

First stop was Jean-Marc Boillot’s house in Pommard to taste his range of Puligny-Montrachets (confusing, isn’t it?). Jean-Marc is a very loveable character, passionate, articulate and very thorough in his responses to our insightful questions. Oh yes, and he also has fabulous vineyards inherited from the original Sauzet estate (his Grandfather’s) from which he makes some of our favourite whites in the entire Côtes de Beaune. His wines are most impressive for the terroir expression, lifted aromatics and precision they show, and choosing a favourite between the tense, precise and mineral Réferts, the fat, creamy and opulent Combettes, and the exotic fruit, mineral finish and brilliant length of the Truffières is very hard indeed.

Domaine Michel Lafarge was our last visit of the week. It really is a treat to visit this domaine, partly because the Volnays here are among the very best, but also because the combined experience of father and son means that one always leaves a little more knowledgeable about Burgundy. The Volnay village was a model of purity, the Mitans reinforced our newly-found love of this vineyard, and the Clos des Chênes demonstrated just how powerful a wine can be whilst remaining lifted, complex and elegant. Pretty much as good as wine gets!

A quick stop in the local bakery to pick up the ingredients for our lunch on our way to the airport, and we finally had a chance to reflect upon our visit. 2011 Burgundies, from the great addresses we work with, is particularly interesting for the purity and freshness of the fruit. It does not boast the sort of intensity and concentration of 2009 or 2010 but the elegance and pretty nature of the wines means they will have a deserved space in any Burgundy amateur’s cellar, especially as they won’t require quite the same level of patience as its predecessors before they hit their peak.

Our final thoughts as we started the long way home lingered on the few bottles of mature Burgundies we were lucky enough to try during the week. The 2001 Latricières-Chambertin at Rossignol-Trapet; the 1979 Vosne-Romanée Aux Beaumonts at Domaine Georges Noëllat, and the vertical tasting of Chambolle-Musignys (’95, ’96, ’99, ’00, ’01 and ’02) at Maison Roche de Bellene. These bottles showed us, as if it was needed, why it is worth investing time, energy (and, let’s be honest, money) in Burgundy. Whilst the barrel samples are delicious in good vintages like the past three, the complexity, liquid velvet texture and mind-blowingly intricate flavours these wines develop with age are just fabulous, and any of these bottles would have been quite enough, we feel, to convert any non-drinker of Burgundy into a die-hard aficionado. We went home full of renewed enthusiasm for the region and a common resolution to drink as much old Burgundy as our livers and wallets will allow.

Ludovic Surina

]]>https://laywheeler.wordpress.com/2012/11/02/burgundy-2011-day-five-pulignys-in-pommard-masterclass-in-volnay-and-our-mature-bottles/feed/0ludiovicsurinaLay & Wheeler 2011 Burgundy Burgundy 2011 Day Four: Marathon tastings, New shoes and Pear Ciders…https://laywheeler.wordpress.com/2012/11/01/burgundy-2011-day-four-marathon-tastings-new-shoes-and-pear-ciders/
https://laywheeler.wordpress.com/2012/11/01/burgundy-2011-day-four-marathon-tastings-new-shoes-and-pear-ciders/#respondThu, 01 Nov 2012 12:14:58 +0000http://blog.laywheeler.com/?p=3989Our penultimate day in Burgundy started with a visit to the thoughtful Etienne at Domaine Jean Grivot. His caveat that he prepares the samples in the morning and they taste better as the day goes on is an interesting one, as most wines already showed vey well indeed. His focus on maintaining freshness in his wines really shows and the fruit was generally stunning, especially (on that day) in his Chambolle La Combe d’Orveau, Nuits-St-Georges Les Pruliers and his Echezeaux. Reports that he and Mathilde (his daughter, set to take the reins in the future) get on famously promise a smooth transition and a bright future for this great estate.

A quick emergency shoe shopping trip in Nuits-St-Georges (don’t ask – suffice to say the previous pair were apparently not made for walking) and a coffee break (perhaps not ideal to refresh one’s palate, but we all have our needs) and we were back to Vosne and off to Domaine Méo-Camuzet, expecting the usual, gorgeous lusciousness and polished wines. Our expectations proved spot on and the quality was fabulous for wines from their own vineyards as well as from the négociant side of the business (the Marsannay in particular was great. The richness of their Nuits-St-Georges 1er Cru Les Murgers, the massive power of their Clos de Vougeot, the exquisite precision of their Echezeaux and the amazing complexity of the Vosne-Romanée 1er cru Cros Parantoux were the highlights from a great tasting.

3 out of the 4 of us were tasting at Domaine Leflaive for the first time, and the sense of anticipation was palpable in the car as we drove down the motorway, Puligny-Montrachet-bound. We were NOT disappointed. The precision of fruit, minerality, and length in all the wines were quite simply phenomenal. This very precision meant it was incredibly easy not only to distinguish the different vineyards’ personalities, but also made for the easiest set of tasting notes of the entire week – I am sure very little editing will be needed on those!

Next was Domaine de Montille and their welcoming American winemaker Brian. Tasting at de Montille is always interesting thanks to the variety of vineyards they have in both the Côtes de Nuits and the Côtes de Beaune, which really helps getting one’s head around the vintage as a whole. These wines show an excellent balance between silky, rich fruit and grippy tannic structures and should age very well. Their Volnay 1er Cru Les Mitans was, with its beautifully aromatic nose and seductive fruit, the best on the day for me, although this could be more to do with the vineyard, if later tastings at Maison Roche de Bellene and Domaine Lafarge are anything to go by…

Maison Roche de Bellene was the final appointment on the day with a marathon tasting (44 wines – not quite matching a personal record of 57 in one sitting at the same address…) followed by a delicious picnic-style supper. Nicolas Potel is one of the best-connected (and best-loved) people in Burgundy, and he seems to be able to get access to great fruit from hallowed vineyards almost as easily as one can secure a loaf of sliced white from Tesco’s. His knowledge and passion for the multitude of different climats in Burgundy is fabulous and tasting the wines here is a lesson in terroir expression. His Nuits-St-Georges Vieilles vignes, Volnay 1er Cru Les Mitans (again), Nuits-St-Georges 1er Cru Les St Georges and Chambertin Clos de Bèze in particular showed magnificently. Supper was accompanied by as vertical tasting of Chambolle-Musigny he sourced for his Bellenum range: 1995, 1996, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002. This was a real, rare treat for us and just fascinating. All were good, although the 1996 and 2001 were the best for drinking right now. 1995 and 2000 were excellent too, a little less concentrated than ’96 and ’01 but perfect for a slightly simpler food/wine match. 1999 and 2002 need more time but will be great in 5 years’ time. Keep your eyes peeled for those in the (hopefully not-too-distant) future…

After a busy day of tasting, we very much deserved a couple of beers with Nicolas so off we went to Le Square in Beaune, a “rustic” wine bar owned by the son of the owner of Ma Cuisine, a restaurant vying for the title of Best Loved Eatery in Beaune within the wine trade. Quite an interesting place to be, especially as it seemed that half the next generation of winemakers from top Burgundy domaines have elected it as their favourite haunt… A Magnum of Poiré Granit (Pear cider) from Eric Bordelet (some names just can’t be invented…) was a revelation! A refreshing 3.5% alc. with the most beautiful, pure pear taste and minerality, it is no wonder why this is the drink of choice of young and trendy winemakers looking for a respite after a hard day tasting red wine cask samples…

Ludovic Surina

]]>https://laywheeler.wordpress.com/2012/11/01/burgundy-2011-day-four-marathon-tastings-new-shoes-and-pear-ciders/feed/0ludiovicsurina2011 Burgundy Lay & WheelerA half century celebrated at Lord’shttps://laywheeler.wordpress.com/2012/10/26/a-half-century-celebrated-at-lords/
https://laywheeler.wordpress.com/2012/10/26/a-half-century-celebrated-at-lords/#respondFri, 26 Oct 2012 12:18:04 +0000http://blog.laywheeler.com/?p=3981Business and pleasure rarely mix… unless of course you are lucky enough to work in the wine trade. You really can’t beat a good tasting… unless of course that tasting is accompanied by lunch or dinner in an establishment of quality. Having just returned from Burgundy, you could say that I’ve had more than my fair share of such things over the last week. A week that started in the best possible way, I couldn’t resist an incredibly generous invitation to attend a client’s 50th birthday lunch at the spiritual home of English Cricket on Sunday. As settings go, the famous Long Room at Lord’s has to be one of the finest I have ever tasted in – and I haven’t even mentioned the wines yet!

Upon arrival guests were met with a steady flow of 2007 Franck Bonville Millesime Brut Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru, a fine grower’s Champagne with elegant notes of white flowers and subtle bready notes held together with a fresh vein of acidity. The starter of Dorset crab and shrimp cocktail was well matched with two high quality white Burgundies, the younger of the two a 2008 Champs Canet 1er Cru Puligny from Jean-Marc Boillot showed a little puppy fat with a hint of gunflint smokiness – all tied up with a lean mineral structure. This was followed by a wine fifteen years its senior, from Jean-Marc’s father – Henri Boillot, a 1993 Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Pucelles. Situated next to the Grand Crus of Bâtard and Bienvenues Bâtard- Montrachet, this is a vineyard of substantial standing which in this case has yielded a wine of immense breeding, still remarkably fresh showing a little tertiary development and an impressively complex and long finish.

Main course was a fillet of beef with horseradish creamed mash together with two well chosen (and incredibly rare) wines. Both requiring a great deal of patience and a delicate hand upon opening and decanting – a pretty nerve racking experience for yours truly when you consider that we’re talking about 1962 Château Lafite and 1962 Vega Sicilia Unico Reserva! An amazing pair of wines and a thought provoking combination, tasked with introducing the wines for 100 or so assembled guests I couldn’t resist borrowing Neal Martin’s wonderful quote; “Inserting a bottle of Único into a flight of equivalent clarets would be like inviting a porn star to a vicar’s tea-party. Old Único is a brazen hussy of a wine, raucous and decadent and paying little heed to growing old gracefully. Whilst clarets grow old like Conservative members of parliament, these unruly Únicos age like the Rolling Stones.” And so it was that whilst the Lafite showed its age with a delicate scent of dried wild flowers and barely discernable tannins, the Unico was bold, structured, and still amazingly fresh.

A dessert of tarte tatin could not have gone better than with what was for me the stand out wine of the afternoon, Domaine Huet’s 1962 Le Haut Lieu demi-sec. Sourced directly from the domaine, this showed gorgeous honeyed and caramel notes with baked apples and a finish longer than the Long Room itself! A tough act to follow, unless of course the wine that accompanies the cheese board is a 1962 Château d’Yquem… A deep orange in colour with a remarkably complex nose of marmalade and candied peel together with roasted nuts and an unctuous texture supported by a fine acid structure.

What better way to start my working week? How about a four day visit to Burgundy… don’t mind if I do!

Will Hepworth

]]>https://laywheeler.wordpress.com/2012/10/26/a-half-century-celebrated-at-lords/feed/0matthewlgrantLords-Cricket-Wine-TastingBurgundy 2011 Day Three: Whites and more Côtes de Nuitshttps://laywheeler.wordpress.com/2012/10/24/burgundy-2011-day-three-whites-and-more-cotes-de-nuits/
https://laywheeler.wordpress.com/2012/10/24/burgundy-2011-day-three-whites-and-more-cotes-de-nuits/#respondWed, 24 Oct 2012 17:50:56 +0000http://blog.laywheeler.com/?p=3963Day three of our 2011 Burgundy tasting week and the brief was simple though very different for each team: whilst Adrian, Edwina, Lucy & Will would get under the skin of the 2011 Chardonnays up and down the Côte de Beaune, Al, Kat, Nick and I would have to tough it out and taste (mostly) reds at some of the Côte de Nuits’ most hallowed addresses. Clichés revolving around tough jobs having to be done notwithstanding, we set out with our usual professional veneer and child-on-Christmas-day excitement in our hearts.

Having tasted at Patrick Javillier & Michel Bouzereau in Meursault, Hubert Lamy in St Aubin, Jean-Marc Pillot, Fontaine-Gagnard in Chassagne and Philippe Chavy in Puligny, L’Equipe de dégustation des Blancs started getting their heads around the vintage and found the wines very easy to taste, showing plenty of fragrance and elegance. The general style is very classic and the wines are endowed with decent amounts of fruit and plenty of freshness and energy. The wines of Michel Bouzereau were tasting particularly well today and are deserving of a special mention.

Meanwhile, in Gevrey-Chambertin, our morning started pretty well with tasting at Domaine Armand Rousseau. Needless to say that the wines were absolutely fabulous, very classical and with excellent structure. Not many domaines would show well after such an amazing collection of Grand Crus, however Domaine Ponsot was one of the only addresses where there were even more on show! Laurent’s fascinating stories and theories made the tasting very enjoyable as always, and Clos St Denis Très vieilles vignes (planted in 1905!) was in my humble opinion the wine that showed best today. The other highlights of our day, besides the lunchtime beef cheeks at Chez Guy in Gevrey, were the purity of Rossignol-Trapet’s wines (and an absolutely fabulous 2001 Latricières), and a great visit at the very lovely and gregarious Louis Boillot and Ghislaine Barthod. Their wines were simply excellent and we look forward to more tomorrow!

Ludovic Surina

]]>https://laywheeler.wordpress.com/2012/10/24/burgundy-2011-day-three-whites-and-more-cotes-de-nuits/feed/0ludiovicsurina2011 Burgundy En PrimeurBurgundy 2011 Day Two: foray into the Côte de Nuitshttps://laywheeler.wordpress.com/2012/10/23/burgundy-2011-day-two-foray-into-the-cote-de-nuits/
https://laywheeler.wordpress.com/2012/10/23/burgundy-2011-day-two-foray-into-the-cote-de-nuits/#respondTue, 23 Oct 2012 17:36:33 +0000http://blog.laywheeler.com/?p=3961After the warm weather of yesterday and our team barbecue at our gite in the evening, the mist and cloud was not a welcome site today, making the slopes of the Côte impossible to see at times. As the full group was now in the region, we split into two groups this morning and headed off on our various visits.

The first team out of the doors had a packed day, including visits to Clos des Lambrays, Humbert Frères, Arlaud, Domaine de l’Arlot, Jean-Marc Millot, Michel Gros and Mugneret-Gibourg. There are mixed views as to the highlights of the day – by all account there were too many – but it seems that Clos des Lambrays, Arlaud, Mugneret-Gibourg and Domaine de l’Arlot featured highly in most accounts.

The second team, of which I was a part, headed across to Comte Armand, before heading speedily north to Lamarche, Georges Noellat, Taupenot Merne, Duroché and finally to Cathiard. Taupenot Merne and Duroché are not producers currently listed by L&W and Georges Noellat has only featured in our lists from this year, but all had very impressive wines. Lamarche’s Echezeaux and La Grande Rue are exceptional and the wines of Cathiard are unsurprisingly excellent. 2011 is the first vintage with Sébastien Cathiard at the helm, but the wines have not suffered in transition at all – Malconsorts is still the beauty it always is!

So far, the 2011 vintage has impressed us. Purity and freshness seem to be watchwords in both the reds and whites. The reds are relatively approachable compared with the 2010s at the same time last year, with very pretty and expressive fruit. The whites are generally more reined-in and austere, very classic in style, but mouthwateringly delicious when at their best. We will have some great wines to offer this year and for our clients to taste in January.

We’re now back at our abode, comparing notes on the wines and the best toilets in the region, as we enjoy a couple of beers and a few glasses of wine. Another busy day tomorrow…

]]>https://laywheeler.wordpress.com/2012/10/23/burgundy-2011-day-two-foray-into-the-cote-de-nuits/feed/0katwigginsLay & Wheeler Burgundy Tasting 2011Burgundy 2011 Day One: Côte de Beaune Whiteshttps://laywheeler.wordpress.com/2012/10/22/burgundy-2011-day-one-cote-de-beaune-whites/
https://laywheeler.wordpress.com/2012/10/22/burgundy-2011-day-one-cote-de-beaune-whites/#respondMon, 22 Oct 2012 16:46:57 +0000http://blog.laywheeler.com/?p=3952At the end of the first day in Burgundy, we have collapsed in our gite and are enjoying a cold (ish) beer before lighting the barbecue. It has been a glorious day on the Côte de Beaune, amazingly warm and sunny, the vines changing into their autumn hues. One could not ask for Burgundy to be prettier right now.

It was a day of whites for us, today, mostly, starting with Comtes Lafon, where we were met by the charming Dominique Lafon, who dashed round his cellar, pipette in hand, talking us through his 2011s. Having said that this was a day of whites, he started with his reds – his elegant and pretty Monthelie not being a bad way to begin a day! His great Meursaults were unsurprisingly excellent and included – for the first time this year – wine from his new parcel of vines from 1er Cru Les Bouchères, light on its feet and beautifully expressive. It goes without saying that Le Montrachet was great, although still obviously a baby.

From Lafon, we headed over to Chassagne, to taste at Domaine Paul Pillot, a domaine that produces a range of St. Aubin and Chassagne, made – under the guidance of young winemaker Thierry Pillot – to a reined-in and subtle style. Lay & Wheeler does not currently offer these wines, but tasting the 2011s, it seems likely that this may well change in the future.

The last tasting pre-lunch was at Martelet de Cherisey, high up in the Blagny area of Meursault, where we enjoyed a quick tour of the domaine, before tasting through their 2011s. Late ripening, due to their elevation, the wines also ferment more slowly, giving them an interesting complexity. We were very kindly given a bottle of 2006 Meursault Blagny to enjoy with our lunch, so had that with cold cuts, bread and cheese on the terrace at our gite. While wine tasting is a lot of fun, it was hard to leave!

But leave we did and joined Philippe Colin, where we tasted his Chassagnes, Puligny and Chevalier-Montrachet. We have loved his Demoiselles for a long time and we have not changed our opinion for the 2011s, it shone in the line-up.

The final visit of what has been a gentle start to the week, was with Charles Ballot at Ballot-Millot. Tasting in his “games room” (most of the team slightly distracted by darts, pool and a shiny bike), we were thoroughly impressed by his Meursaults – especially Genevrières and Perrières, which were tautly structured and delicious. We finished, as we started, with a few reds, including another pretty red Meursault – all bright and fragrant fruit.

Kat Wiggins

]]>https://laywheeler.wordpress.com/2012/10/22/burgundy-2011-day-one-cote-de-beaune-whites/feed/0katwiggins2011 Burgundy Lay & WheelerBurgundy 2011: we are on our way…https://laywheeler.wordpress.com/2012/10/19/burgundy-2011-we-are-on-our-way/
https://laywheeler.wordpress.com/2012/10/19/burgundy-2011-we-are-on-our-way/#respondFri, 19 Oct 2012 14:54:07 +0000http://blog.laywheeler.com/?p=3949Sunday marks the start of our annual pilgrimage to Burgundy to taste and assess the previous year’s vintage from barrel. The excitement in the office is palpable as the two teams receive their itineraries for the week: Who’s got Rousseau? Who’s off to Cathiard?! Such is the strength and depth of our Burgundy list, that all of our visits bring smiles to our faces.

The lie of the land in Burgundy reveals itself in the wines if one looks (tastes) close enough. It is this region, probably more than any other, that really only begins to make sense when viewed from the vineyard (or through the car window as is more often the case with us, as we drive from cellar to cellar invariably running late).

We shall be tasting the 2011 vintage. Stay tuned for more news…

Adrian Heaven

]]>https://laywheeler.wordpress.com/2012/10/19/burgundy-2011-we-are-on-our-way/feed/0katwigginsChristian Seely at the Zetter Townhouse: Great wines & great companyhttps://laywheeler.wordpress.com/2012/10/12/christian-seely-at-the-zetter-townhouse-great-wines-great-company/
https://laywheeler.wordpress.com/2012/10/12/christian-seely-at-the-zetter-townhouse-great-wines-great-company/#commentsFri, 12 Oct 2012 16:04:30 +0000http://blog.laywheeler.com/?p=3939
Success in turning around the fate of Quinta do Noval during his stint as Managing Director there meant that Christian Seely was offered the driving seat for the whole AXA Millèsimes company when Jean-Michel Cazes moved on to pastures new.

Since 2000, Christian has managed the portfolio with great success and we were thrilled to welcome him to host a dinner for our clients last night at the Zetter Townhouse in Clerkenwell. After an absolutely delightful glass (or three) of Christian’s Hampshire sparkling wine, Coates & Seely Blanc de Blancs NV (a beautifully mineral sparkling showing once more that the best vineyard sites in the UK have a lot in common with Champagne vineyards), it was time to sit down and start enjoying Christian’s wit and charm, and of course see how his wines fared with the excellent food.

The first comparison was a pair of 2007s from both sides of the river, namely 2007 Petit-Village from Pomerol and 2007 Pichon-Baron. Beyond the difference in taste between Merlot-dominated right bank and Cabernet-dominated left bank, this comparison also showed just how approachable the 2007s are. These two wines may well have been on the young side, but it would be difficult to argue that they did not drink beautifully, and both complemented the snails starter fantastically. The Pichon-Baron probably had the edge in terms of intrinsic quality, however the Pomerol may well have been a better match for the food.

The next comparison pitted Pichon-Baron 2003 and 2004 against each other. Christian’s opinion that the terroir shines through in these wines and dominates the vintage characteristic is hard to argue with – the surprising freshness on the finish of the otherwise typically rich, round and seductive 2003 was mirrored by a lovely richness of fruit to the more elegantly-styled 2004. It is difficult to really explain how wines can have a family resemblance year in, year out and yet also have a really different personality every vintage. Pichon-Baron, however, is an excellent example of this and showcases Christian’s ability to make the right decisions and get the right people in each of the estates he manages. As AXA’s portfolio includes incredibly different properties such as Pichon-Baron in Pauillac, Domaine de l’Arlot in Nuits –St-Georges, Suduiraut in Sauternes, Petit-Village in Pomerol, Diznoko in Tokaji and Quinta do Noval in the Douro, this is crucial.

The next wine was arguably “The Treat” of the evening – 1996 Pichon-Baron – and was everything one could hope for in mature claret. The tell-tale powerful style, dense fruit and perfect poise were taken to another level by the development of more complexity, especially a hint of savoury leather, spice and that should develop further over the next decade. This was a very special bottle indeed. 2001 Suduiraut with pudding was absolutely stunning, hitting the perfect balance between rich butterscotch and wild honey and the dried fruit and spice that come with age. The length was outstanding – let’s hope that Sauternes producers continue to ignore the economic truth about making this style of wine (in short, it makes almost no financial sense) so we can enjoy wines of this calibre in many years to come!

Finally, the cheese course brought a particularly interesting wine for us geeks – a 1997 Quinta do Noval Colheita, a style seldom seen on these shores, and essentially a vintage port that has been aged in oak cask in the same way as old Tawnies. This means it had shed its tannins and developed perfect balance, harmony and a wonderful complexity. Some say that all wine would be port if it could. It is my humble opinion that in all ports should aim to be as good as this!

All in all, a brilliant evening with fabulous wines and a charismatic and entertaining speaker – a great time was had by all and much gratitude is owed to Christian for his time!

Ludovic Surina

]]>https://laywheeler.wordpress.com/2012/10/12/christian-seely-at-the-zetter-townhouse-great-wines-great-company/feed/1katwigginsChristian-Seely-Wine-Dinner-5454Focus on South Africahttps://laywheeler.wordpress.com/2012/10/05/focus-on-south-africa/
https://laywheeler.wordpress.com/2012/10/05/focus-on-south-africa/#respondFri, 05 Oct 2012 11:27:15 +0000http://blog.laywheeler.com/?p=3929
In the World of Wine as a whole, South Africa holds a very particular place. Its climate is not quite as hot as other “New World” countries but it is definitely warmer than France or Italy, for instance. The resulting wines have a very unique quality and the best examples could be said to combine the best of both worlds, with plenty of fruit yet an elegance and freshness seldom found in the warmest climes.

As we tasted the wines in preparation for this offer, even the most sceptical tasters among us could but admit that beyond established names such as the excellent Meerlust’s Rubicon Merlot from Stellenbosch, there was a wealth of brilliant value, interesting and rather delicious wines – a personal favourite was the Chamonix Reserve Pinot Noir from Franschooek. At £92.95/6 ib it is a great buy and will provide lots of drinking pleasure with its juicy, pure Pinot fruit and moreish quality.

“In the summer of 2010 I spent a wonderful fortnight in South Africa, a land of amazing landscapes, wonderful people, hospitality and of course fantastic food and wine. our trip included two nights in Franschhoek, the home to some of the finest fare in South Africa.

Nestled between towering mountains in the beautiful Cape Winelands, the magnificent Franschhoek valley is absolutely stunning. Spectacular vineyards cover these mountain slopes settled more than 300 years ago by the Huguenots, who brought with them their age-old French wine and Food culture.

Today, breath-taking scenery, warm hospitality, world class cuisine and the finest South African wines all combine to create lasting memories. For those of you who have been to South Africa our offer represents an opportunity to buy some of the wines that you may well have tasted on your trip. Those who have not been to this country of amazing diversity can take this chance to try something different and, if possible, arrange to visit the region without further delay.

I’m delighted to say that we have managed to unearth some very interesting wines from this offer from the Cape Winelands, Franschhoek, Stellenbosch and I think you will be surprised at the quality and value on offer here – for me the Chenin-Semillon Cartology from Alheit is an absolute must-buy.”

Dave clearly isn’t the only one to feel that way – Cartology, available at £99.00/6 ib, was chosen today by Julia Harding MW as the Wine of the Week on Jancisrobinson.com. We are absolutely delighted by this endorsement of a wine that impressed us a lot.

There is much to choose from beyond the couple of wines mentioned here and you can peruse the whole South African offer here.

Ludovic Surina & Dave Smith

]]>https://laywheeler.wordpress.com/2012/10/05/focus-on-south-africa/feed/0ludiovicsurina2011 & 2010 South African White Wines from Lay & Wheeler Fast and (quite) furious…https://laywheeler.wordpress.com/2012/10/04/fast-and-quite-furious/
https://laywheeler.wordpress.com/2012/10/04/fast-and-quite-furious/#respondThu, 04 Oct 2012 10:46:30 +0000http://blog.laywheeler.com/?p=3916The much-awaited fine wine Karting Championships came and went last night in a cloud of unleaded fuel and no evening tipples, (for a change) at Anglia Karting in Suffolk. Fine-tune race tactics and a little bravado were exchanged pre-race and tensions were high. Karting is a great ice-breaker for staff social settings, more especially as once uniforms and helmets are donned, all racers had trouble picking out who was who in the race line up – hence revenge on workmates can be both sweet and covert at the same time.

The idea of the ‘Arrive & Drive’ sessions is to race against the clock to achieve the fastest lap time. However, the temptation to catch, slipstream and overtake any of the other drivers was too much to be ignored. All 5 adrenalin junkies had a fantastic evening, the final race generating some debate over driving strategies. One driver’s description “defending his line” is another’s “incompetence and dirty driving” but all good fun and warranting of a re-match. Mr Luffingham’s win is still subject to a stewards enquiry, and any suggestions that he has been receiving driving tips from Michael Schumacher have been denied!

There are times when study is tough; long hours spent bent over a book, scribbling notes, cross-checking everything online, bending one’s mind around difficult concepts and information. There are other times when study is, maybe, not quite so difficult. The first weekend of July was one such time: a study trip to Jerez with a couple of fellow Master of Wine students, taking the chance that it would be worthwhile (even though we had not at this stage received our results from our first year exams). If nothing else, I suppose, we knew the weather would be better!

It is often said that the best way to understand a region is to visit it in person; no amount of book-learning can replace actually standing in a vineyard and looking around, talking to producers and getting a sense of “place”. With sherry however it is less about the vineyard and the fruit itself, but far more about how and where the wines are aged.

Terroir is a familiar concept to anyone who has read much about fine wines; usually in the context of a vineyard site, its aspect, the soil, the bedrock and the climate. Terroir is also a concept in Jerez, but it is based more on the barrels that the wine is in, where they are within the bodega and their position in the row.

I was mildly cynical about such claims. How could a few metres make a difference to how something tasted? However, a tasting with Eduardo Odeja, production manager for Grupo Estevez (who own La Guita and Valdespino) and one of the people behind Equipo Navazos, soon dispelled my cynicism. He dashed along the rows at the La Guita bodega, enthusiastically expounding the virtues of individual barrels, comparing two (one barrel and one row apart) that he said were like sisters, one serious, one mischievous, but obviously related. There were numerous examples along these lines and it was striking exactly how much one wine could vary so much after a few months in barrels in different locations.

It is exactly this quality that forms the basis for the recent fashion for single and selected cask bottlings like La Bota range and the Sacristia AB Manzanilla that we are currently offering. Eduardo Odeja and Antonio Barbadillo Mateo have selected barrels that they believe offer very specific qualities and have bottled accordingly, creating unique wines that are some of the best that the region has to offer.

I was lucky enough to be able to taste the La Bota Palo Cortado no. 34 in situ, directly from its barrel – stored at the Fernando de Castilla bodega in Jerez, tucked away in a dark corner. It was extraordinary in its complexity and character; a beautiful and evocative wine that demonstrates ably how truly underpriced great sherry is.

]]>https://laywheeler.wordpress.com/2012/10/02/sherry-bodegas-and-barrels-terroir-on-a-small-scale/feed/0ludiovicsurinasherry-email-header-585Bordeaux – September 2012https://laywheeler.wordpress.com/2012/09/18/bordeaux-september-2012/
https://laywheeler.wordpress.com/2012/09/18/bordeaux-september-2012/#respondTue, 18 Sep 2012 13:53:26 +0000http://blog.laywheeler.com/?p=3899Freshly back from a tour of Bordeaux last week, The Lay & Wheeler Management team share their thoughts and experiences

Last week, I travelled to Bordeaux with Nick Dagley, our Fine Wine Buyer. I decided to take the scenic route of the Eurostar and TGV, whilst Nick travelled from Luton Airport – I think you can guess who arrived on time and who did not!

This was my first trip to Bordeaux, perhaps surprisingly given that I’ve been at Lay & Wheeler for nearly 30 years! Lay and Wheeler has an excellent reputation in Bordeaux and this was evident from the very first visit. We spent time at wonderful estates, where we were greeted with kindness and enthusiasm by each and every person that we met.

Day One Accompanied by Mathieu Chadronnier , the General Manager of négociant CVBG , our first day included a visit to the amazing (almost futuristic) cellars at Cheval Blanc, followed closely by a visit to Ausone. Whilst Cheval Blanc is a jaw-dropping example of modern architecture and design, the cellars at Ausone date back to medieval times and there could not be more contrast! In all we visited six estates in the afternoon and, for an inexperienced man in Bordeaux, it certainly felt like a tough, but thoroughly enjoyable day!

Day Two Car problems (Nick couldn’t work out our convertible Volvo roof!) meant a slightly late start, but we were soon into our stride with morning visits to Malescot-St-Exupéry and Labégorce – and lunch at the superb Château Palmer. If there was any doubt about the quality of the 2011 vintage, it was dismissed at Palmer – here both Alter Ego and the grand vin Palmer tasted brilliantly. Following a lunch that included the sublime 1985 Palmer and 2006 Alter Ego, we headed off to Las Cases and Pichon-Lalande, before pitching up at Mouton Rothschild, where they are currently finishing their enormous new chai. For me, the surprise wine at Mouton was 2011 d’Armailhac, which was well balanced, aromatic and comparatively easy to understand for someone like me who is not used to tasting such young wines. To round off the day Mathieu took us to Latour, where the 2009 Pauillac was showing very well indeed.

Day Three If you haven’t been to a Bordeaux Château and have a picture in your head of what a château should look like, then the chances are it looks like Margaux. Set at the end of an avenue of trees the Château is absolutely stunning – we were not able to go inside but I can imagine what it is like. Managing Director Paul Pontallier met us, despite being busy finalising the plans for a major development project (watch this space for what is sure to be amazing, given the renowned British architect working with the Château). We tasted 2010 and 2011 Margaux. Back in 2011, Nick was of the opinion that the 2010 vintage was the best wine he had ever tasted en primeur – our tasting confirmed Nick’s view. Our tasting at Margaux was followed by time with the very entertaining Jean-Pierre Foubet at Chasse Spleen – I really enjoyed the 2010l’Héritage here – another 2010 that was very easy to taste. Lunch was at Grand-Puy-Lacoste – a Château that has made exceptional wines year on year, under the stewardship of François-Xavier Borie. An excellent lunch with father and daughter was accompanied by 2005 Haut-Batailley and 2000 and 1996 Grand-Puy-Lacoste, all of which were fantastic – but, for me, the 2000 had the edge. After lunch, we ventured out to Sociando-Mallet, which is one of the properties close to the the banks of the Gironde. This is another estate that has clearly invested in infrastructure – its wine-making and storage facilities are first class. 2011 La Demoiselle showed very well here (beautifully balanced and very much to my liking), whilst 2010 Sociando confirmed its status in Nick’s mind as one of the wines of the 2010 vintage. Then onto Château Montrose, where Hervé Berland has taken over the management of the estate following his move from Mouton. It’s early days here for Hervé, but I sensed that – with the huge investment being made – this is a property that aspires to even greater things.

And that, I’m afraid, was that – three days of splendid tasting and exceptional hospitality. Back on TGV and Eurostar, allowing me the time to write up my notes in a degree of comfort, safe in the knowledge that I’d arrive home on time and relaxed.

We are just back from a week in Bordeaux, where the harvest has begun – we saw white grapes being picked and pressed at both Mouton and Palmer. Bordeaux has had almost perfect weather in August, great for holidays and ripening grapes. Both were needed as, up until then, it had been quite a stressful time, with a sodden June and much work needed in the vineyards to keep things on track.

Most people we saw were planning on starting their Merlots in the last week of September, already with a potential alcohol of 13.5 or so degrees. The forecast is good, which will ripen skips and pips – as ever balance will be key for the wines of the right bank!

The Cabernets on the left bank look better and I suspect there will be some better wines made here. At Château Margaux, Paul Pontallier was as enthusiastic as ever, predicting great things for the Cabernet-dominated Grand Vin – assuming they don’t get a typhoon! Whilst there, we tasted both 2010 and 2011 with the Cru Classé buyer of our hosts CVBG. Mathieu and I agree that the 2010 is the best wine produced in this outstanding vintage anywhere in Bordeaux; we are happy to have some stock! During most visits we compared 2009, 2010 and 2011. On the left bank I prefer 2010, but can see many reasons to buy all three vintages.

My personal tasting highlights were:- 2011 Alter Ego – amazing value for a second wine, at the same level as Forts de Latour. 2011 Palmer – the best wine made in the Médoc in 2011! 2011 d’Armailhac – floral with crème de cassis; extremely open and approachable Pauillac 2010 Chasse Spleen – better value would be hard to imagine, unique terroir, perfect for Burgundy lovers! 2010 Sociando-Mallet – M. Gautreau is quite a character and was one of the very few to lower his price in 2010, the year he made his finest ever Sociando. Buy it while you can at the release price. 2010 Fonroque – Biodynamic Grand Cru St-Emilion. Well-situated, making exciting mineral wines. Watch this space…

On the one hand you have the 1855 classification of left bank Châteaux, set in stone (apart from one “minor” amend in 1973) and controversial on the basis of its immovability even though times and wines have evidently changed. On the other hand you have the St Emilion classification, which is updated every ten years and is controversial on the basis of its upsetting property owners when châteaux are demoted or not promoted. I suppose, if one had a third hand, there is of course the more peaceable Pomerol classification; namely, none.

The last St Emilion classification took place in 2006 and ended in tears, recriminations and indeed court cases, with four properties – La Tour du Pin Figeac, Cadet Bon, Guadet and de la Marzelle – challenging the outcome. This led to all manner of legal shenanigans, as the demoted Châteaux fought to have the classification annulled, to the chagrin of those that had been promoted. In the end, a compromise was reached and a new classification date of 2012 set.

Therefore, it must have been with some trepidation that decisions were made regarding this year’s reassessment. Perhaps it is not that surprising that it is a less controversial classification that has now been published, albeit perhaps not entirely without surprises.

Moving on up…

The most notable change was the inclusion in the upper echelon of classification -Premier Grand Cru Classé (A) – of Châteaux Angélus and Pavie. Already seen as perhaps a cut above their Premier Grand Cru Classé peers in terms of reputation (albeit perhaps not without controversy in Pavie’s case) and certainly in terms of price, their promotion is not entirely surprising. Gèrard Perse of Château Pavie stated, ‘As soon as I heard the news, I was overcome with emotion… It was a brave move to promote two chateaux for the first time in 50 years to join the other Premier Grand Cru Classé As – but it seems logical that Saint Emilion should have as many First Growths as the Medoc.’

This was also a classification of mysterious disappearances, as various properties vanished off the radar entirely. Not the act of a malicious re-classifier or unintentional slip of the pen, the following five properties have been merged with others.

Château Magdelaine has been merged with its Moueix sibling, Bélair-Monange.

Château Bergat has been integrated with Trottevieille

Château Cadet Piola is now incorporated with Château Soutard

Châteaux Haut Corbin and Grand Corbin are now both under the latter’s name

Château Matras has been included with Château Canon

Moving on down…

The classification was not entirely without disappointment for certain properties, there were still demotions, with the following properties losing their Grand Cru status: Corbin Michotte, La Tour du Pin Figeac and La Tour du Pin.

Nothing can stop them?

So far, mostly the classification has been well received, however, a cloud looms on the horizon already in the form of the Carle family, owners of Château Croque Michotte, which has not been included in the classification. There has been a suggestion that they may make a legal challenge to this decision… And so it begins…

]]>https://laywheeler.wordpress.com/2012/09/14/the-2012-st-emilion-classification-the-perfect-compromise/feed/0ludiovicsurina1855 Classification L&WPomerol Dinner with Moueix at The Zetter Townhousehttps://laywheeler.wordpress.com/2012/09/10/3886/
https://laywheeler.wordpress.com/2012/09/10/3886/#respondMon, 10 Sep 2012 11:42:01 +0000http://blog.laywheeler.com/?p=3886We were thrilled to welcome our customers and Edouard Moueix to dinner at London’s Zetter Townhouse last week. A glass of Vilmart’s 2001 Coeur de Cuvée Champagne sharpened our palates and whetted our appetite for the evening ahead. Edouard’s introductory comments on how JP Moueix is a young company (he’s ‘only’ third generation) and how they are merely “poor farmers” in Pomerol set the tone for an informative, humorous and engaging dinner.

The snails came first: mauricette snails and meatballs with royale de champignon sauvage which was paired with 2005 & 2003 Certan de May. The 2005 was compact, with a glossy texture of red berry fruit which made it accessible, yet with its best years still at least half a decade away. The 2003 in contrast was much more expansive and broadly-framed by grainy tannin. An opening contrast between the heat of 2003 and the drought of 2005.

A comparison of 2003 La Fleur Pétrus and 2003 Hosanna accompanied beef daube provençal with mashed potato. The Hosanna had a fabulous intense aroma of essence-like black fruits. The palate was rich, multilayered and delicious. The La Fleur Pétrus was lithe and fresher in comparison and not as flagrantly showy as the Hosanna, favouring subtlety and nuance for its style.

A pair of English cheeses was selected to match 2005 Hosanna and 2005 La Fleur Pétrus. Both 2005s were thrilling and affirmed, yet again, what a great vintage 2005 is. Hosanna was impressive: it was deep, dense and seductively textured with an underlying minerality and freshness. La Fleur Pétrus combined weight and concentration with poise, elegance and finesse. As with the 2003, it was not as showy and opulent as the Hosanna, but the one I would choose to be drinking in ten years’ time.

After six red wines, the chilled, sweet Château Coutet 2001 was just the thing to lift and freshen the palate. It was intensely aromatic with notes of blossom, honey and peach, whilst the palate was richly complex, delineated, ethereal and vibrant. It paired well with the iced lime parfait and strawberry compote.

Edouard closed the evening by noting that he had not made any reference to any vineyard or winemaking techniques: “too dull, not interesting”. He continued by passionately espousing his belief that these wines are for drinking, for enjoying, for sharing, and all thirty people in the room had done just that. Thank you Edouard for a superb evening!

]]>https://laywheeler.wordpress.com/2012/09/10/3886/feed/0matthewlgrantEdouard Moueix Tasting 250Domaine du Vieux Télégraphehttps://laywheeler.wordpress.com/2012/09/07/domaine-du-vieux-telegraphe/
https://laywheeler.wordpress.com/2012/09/07/domaine-du-vieux-telegraphe/#respondFri, 07 Sep 2012 16:57:28 +0000http://blog.laywheeler.com/?p=3881A recent Southern Rhône tasting we organised for a famous bank’s staff Wine Society included a mini vertical of 3 mature vintages from Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe. All three of them showed great family resemblance beyond vintage differences, which we took as a great testament to the respect of the fruit and the terroir at this estate.

The domaine, which is under the ownership of the Brunier family is considered the jewel in their crown . The vines have an average age of 50 years, and are planted on the Plateau de Crau in the south east of the Châteauneuf appellation. Taking its name from the signal tower built here in 1792 for the optical telegraph, this grenache-dominant wine with some Mourvèdre, Cinsault and other permitted Châteauneuf varietals used in the blend is as traditional in its style as Châteauneuf gets. The Bruniers employ traditional winemaking methods, ageing the wine in foudres for eight to 12 months after nine months in concrete vats, then bottle the wines without filtering. These superb wines are rich, elegant and beautifully balanced, and display flavours that are much more opened, perfumed and savoury than the more modern (and often also excellent in their own way) modern styles of Châteauneuf with their deep, pure and intense fruit style. The Bruniers believe in the creation of “vins de terroir, not recipe wines; wines for the table rather than for tasting”.

The fantastic run of vintages enjoyed by the Rhône (since 1998, only 2002 has been poor, everything else has been good to fabulous) means there is plenty of excellent wines available on the market. This means that there is no reason for prices to rise too much, and these mature Vieux Télégraphe vintages can be picked up for great prices – definitely a wine to stock up on as we approach the winter months.

As the summer break draws to a close for many of us now returning suitably refreshed to our desks it is with some anticipation that we chart a course away from the August doldrums towards (hopefully) a final quarter of the year that will bring a fair wind and calmer waters in the fine wine market. There is little doubt that the last twelve months in the fine wine market have been choppy, with the occasional deep depression and poor visibility – proving that it is not entirely immune to the vagaries of the state of the wider global economy.

The primary drivers for the impressive gains seen in the market over the last five years are now those largely responsible for its overall decline over the last twelve months, namely the Bordeaux First Growth châteaux and their associated second label wines. It is widely felt that the high values seen at the peak of the market just over a year ago were unsustainable, having been propped up by speculation on potential future increases in value. However, the slide in value experienced by brands such as Lafite are so dramatic as to be seen by many as an overcorrection. Prices on some of the more “unfashionable” vintages are now low enough to be considered a relative bargain, offering room for growth, indeed it is worth looking at some of the ‘04s, ‘06s and ‘08s we are currently offering at prices that have dropped considerably from this time last year and now look a good buy as a result.

Whilst Bordeaux continues to form the backbone of trading activity on Liv-ex, its proportion has dropped to 86% over the last few months. Burgundy (albeit at the very top end) continues to be of interest for speculators, together with premium Italians and top-end Champagnes. Against a backdrop of falling Bordeaux prices, these sectors have outperformed the wider market, seeing modest value growth. It’s not all doom and gloom in Bordeaux however, as a second string of châteaux have risen to prominence over the last few years. The significant investments made by the owners of these properties over the last decade are now paying dividends as the quality of the wines they produce has risen to a level that is often consistent with that of the First Growths. This band of rising stars was given recognition late last year by the influential American wine critic, Robert Parker, naming them in his “Magical 20” list. Further credence was lent to this selection with Parker’s re-assessment of the extraordinarily successful 2009 vintage, with a record number of wines receiving a perfect 100 point score amongst which there was a high proportion from Parker’s Magical 20.

From an investment perspective, we are talking about a surprisingly narrow universe of wines. The top 25 châteaux in Bordeaux and a handful of properties from other regions dominate. Indeed, Liv-ex figures would appear to indicate that just eight wines – the five First Growths, plus Petrus, Cheval Blanc and Ausone – account for more than 80 per cent of a typical wine fund’s “portfolio” by value. Given the stratospheric pricing on these wines from the best vintages the emergence of this “second tier” of investment grade Bordeaux provides a useful entry point for those priced out of the top tier.

Many of these so-called “Magical 20” wines– such as Leoville Las Cases, Lynch Bages and Pontet-Canet – have seen an increase in demand over the last 12 months and it is possible that this trend could continue.*

Will Hepworth

*The market for wine can be volatile, and no guarantee can be given as to the likely future value of wines. Past performance of the wine market is not necessarily a guide to its future performance. Lay & Wheeler cannot be held responsible for any loss suffered, whether due to a downturn in the market or otherwise. Lay & Wheeler provides advice on the basis of its best endeavours, however all decisions to purchase and sell remain with the client. The information provided above is only for your general guidance and is not intended to address your particular requirements or to be relied upon in making (or refraining from making) any specific decisions, investment-related or otherwise.

]]>https://laywheeler.wordpress.com/2012/09/03/is-there-still-shine-in-trading-fine-wine/feed/0ludiovicsurinaIs there still shine in Wine Trading..?A Perfect Marriage?https://laywheeler.wordpress.com/2012/08/30/a-perfect-marriage-2/
https://laywheeler.wordpress.com/2012/08/30/a-perfect-marriage-2/#commentsThu, 30 Aug 2012 11:26:07 +0000http://blog.laywheeler.com/?p=3857Lay & Wheeler Wine Advisor Hayley Wright shares her thoughts on selecting the perfect wine for her upcoming nuptials – can you help her choose?

After weeks of painstakingly compiling lists, shortlists, guest lists and even lists of lists, my Fiancé and I finally booked a venue for our forthcoming wedding. There is an overwhelming array of things to consider, such as capacity, location and date availability, but one particular benefit of our chosen venue was the clincher for me-they don’t charge corkage or force you to choose wine from their own list. As a wine lover, it is important to me to be able to drink wine that our guests and I will enjoy on this special and important day and feel quite justified in having thrown one option out immediately on the grounds of its choices of simply ‘red, white or rosé’…..!

Another major decision is the menu, and for various reasons we have decided on the rather fun and politically savvy step of hiring a fish and chip van rather than having a sit down meal, leaving more valuable time to crack on with the important business of partying.

Lots of options spring to mind when pairing wine with greasy fare, with considerations regarding tannin and acidity levels. Do we go for a zingy light white or something a bit richer with maybe a touch of spice? And let’s not forget the reds which may be preferred by those opting for the burger or sausage option. Or perhaps a wildcard rosé choice would be a crowd pleaser?I also rather like the fun pairing alternative of something sparkling. Finally, do I stick to a cheaper option, or should I blow the budget?

The options are endless but I have prepared a shortlist with tasting notes below and it would help a great deal if you could let me know what you think we should drink!

The Chantegrive Blanc 2007 is a very pretty Sauvignon Blanc- dominated
blend (a little Sémillon brings a touch of weight to the texture). This
piquant, floral and citrussy white will provide a perfectly refreshing
summer drink, or an excellent accompaniment to grilled, meaty fish such
as Sea Bass or Monkfish

Fine and light on the nose, with notes of white flowers and citrus. On the palate, there are crunchy apple and pear characters, zesty acidity and a steely minerality, which adds both structure and elegance. With a long finish and a surprisingly mouthfilling texture, this would match well with shellfish or white meat dishes.

Beautiful maroon purple in the glass with sweet cherry fruit on the nose. Perfumed, with lifted acidity and a fine, elegant freshness.Although immensely approachable whilst young, this will keep for at least five years

Chapelle des Bois is a small domaine, which has been in the same family for seven generations. The current owners, Chantal and Eric Coudert-Appert, are passionately involved in every aspect of the winemaking process, from hand-picking the grapes to the traditional processes in the winery itself. This gives them control over every detail, allowing them to create extremely high-quality Cru Beaujolais.
Charming on the nose, with bright cherry aromas and a hint of spice. On the palate, this has concentrated red berry fruit and a touch of savoury earthiness that gives it a real sense of depth and distinction. This is beautifully balanced, classic Fleurie and will be delicious with summer salads, grilled poultry and barbecued fish.

This wine has the ripest fruit profile of the wines, tending towards tropical fruits. The wine remains balanced, with the volume and richness offset by the fresh thread of acidity running along the palate.

A selection from different vineyards, made exclusively from vines over 50 years old. This has a lively nose, balanced by notes of cream, spice and lentils. Texturally rich on the palate with an attractive white peach nature and a long finish. Bründlmayer are the masters of Grüner and this demonstrates their style superbly.

Primarily made from Pinot Noir, this is close to being a Blanc de Noirs in style. Attractive on the nose, with delicate notes of red berry fruit, a touch of florality and some savoury bread-like characters. On the palate, this is balanced and elegant, with pear and red berries and a dart of citrus acidity. Perfect as an apéritif.